Forty years on, the hippies have won the culture wars

In retrospect, the 20th century in America is more conveniently divided into periods of varying length rather than decades of 10 years each.

The last two months of 1929, after the stock market crash, seem to be part of the 1930s. The late 1940s, after World War II, seem more a part of the 1950s.

Indeed, it can be said that the 1950s, as they are popularly remembered, began in August 1945 and ended in November 1963 with the assassination of John F. Kennedy. The 1960s, in turn, ended with the Watergate burglary in 1972.

Therefore, given that frame of historical reference, we ...

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Pat Cunningham

In retrospect, the 20th century in America is more conveniently divided into periods of varying length rather than decades of 10 years each.

The last two months of 1929, after the stock market crash, seem to be part of the 1930s. The late 1940s, after World War II, seem more a part of the 1950s.

Indeed, it can be said that the 1950s, as they are popularly remembered, began in August 1945 and ended in November 1963 with the assassination of John F. Kennedy. The 1960s, in turn, ended with the Watergate burglary in 1972.